Padel

iaitch · July 27

Macronate said:

First and only time I've it played it was on Gili Trawangan - loved it.

I win.

Gili sounds like a good sport.

Jints · July 27

Carter said:

Thats how I see it, between at least 4 of you its good value for an hour.

And brings me back to the point with padel, its easy to pick up whereas tennis less so

Yeah and the other thing about Padel is that differences in skill aren't reflecting so starkly as they are in tennis. A decent player in tennis will smash a poor one 6-0 pretty much every time. In padel it will be more like 6-2 or 6-3.

Raith_C_Chattonell · July 27

Jason Manford hoping for a million kids playing within 10 years.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/crl0n000g54o

Gillis · July 27

Carter said:

Leeds_Addick said:

Carter said:

Leeds_Addick said:

DoctorCharlton said:

My tennis coach tells me it's for people who aren't skilled enough to play tennis

Your tennis coach is spot on

If a game if padel acts as we are told the 100 will, and is a way into racket sports then great. Everyone wins. I played squash competitively for years when I was a boy and young man and it was impossible to get anyone to just come and have a game who hadn't played before. Tennis is the same unfortunately. Padel, lets be honest, a chimp could have a go from a cold start. Bit like football

Sport snobbery in my opinion is the biggest reason we have such a small talent pool in cricket and rugby as both sports are inherently elitist, played at posh schools by posh boys. My rugby club was infected by these poshos and had to work so hard to get kids in and involved and harder to keep them involved. Tennis and squash are the same, memberships, lessons, equipment, travel all limit participation for kids. Padel and soon pickleball will change that I hope

Yeah I agree, tennis is ridiculously inaccessible in this country which is in part the problem I have with padel.

I don't disagree, and who is to say padel won't become the same. At the moment though I think its landing about right, its so easy to pick up and be relatively competetive quickly at. Tennis, yeah serving is an art and then playing and having public courts comes down to an overall lack of participation. Tennis rackets for beginners aren't expensive, and even beginner cricket gear is very easy to get now as opposed to when I started as a kid using all my dad and his mates hand me downs. Cricket, like Tennis have sealed their own downfall by being stuffy and exclusionary to kids who watch the ashes, Wimbledon and think they would like to have a go, can't.

This is so true. My local park has four tennis courts. They used to be free to use and were a bit shabby, but were always busy in the summer with people of all ages playing pretty much from when the park opened to when it closed. Then the council got a grant from the LTA to do them up. Now they have a lovely new surface, but you have to book them through the LTA website or app and they cost £6.40 an hour. They're hardly used and you never see kids playing on them. If this is happening up and down the country, it must be killing any kind of mass participation.

Kindoncasella · July 27

Carter said:

I've been secretly playing for a while, I say secretly because anytime I've mentioned the word padel to anyone I've been labelled a bad homosexual or an active sex offender

Surprised no one has questioned what the link is here?

shine166 · July 28

Hipster squash

PhilG · July 28

Played squash most of my adult life after giving up football through injury in my early twenties. Started to play racketball in my 50s when squash became a bit much. Now 71 and can see the padel courts beckoning at my club Bromley Sports. The three courts built last year have transformed the club's finances - so popular - a real money spinner

redlanered · July 28

shine166 said:

Hipster squash

Amazing number of hipsters in their 60s where I play (inc myself)

Bostonaddick · July 28

I heard you had to have a handlebar mustache and oversized glasses to play. Recovery drinks afterward of a dirty chai soy Frappuccino while complaining to your mates that pickleball is so 2024

Carter · July 29

Bostonaddick said:

I heard you had to have a handlebar mustache and oversized glasses to play. Recovery drinks afterward of a dirty chai soy Frappuccino while complaining to your mates that pickleball is so 2024

And a tight perm

robinofottershaw · July 29

O-Randy-Hunt said:

If you've got the money, it doesn't seem a bad investment setting a court up.

I live in the sticks in the Cotswolds. A local farmer has built 2 undercover courts on his land. There is an app to book and pay for the courts and to communicate with others if you are looking for playing partners. Up until recently they provided padel (racquets?) and balls free of charge as part of the court fee but now they are charging extra for those.

stop_shouting · July 29

Padel gentrification is now a thing

thickandthin63 · July 29

Padel has obviously grown along with the demise of squash.I played squash until I was around 75,along with mates of the same age.I think its really sad the sport is almost extinct ,at one stage 30-40 years ago,there where loads of clubs but you still struggled to get a decent court time.It was to me and most who played it at a decent level,the hardest game physically and mentally(contact sports aside),and this alone would now put people off.I have never tried padel,and am probably to old now,but I doubt it would give me the same buzz or satisfaction as I had after a completed game of squash.How I miss those post match drinks feeling totally whacked and virtually at a standstill,and then spend ages trying to book my next treadmill of torture.

Jints · July 29

thickandthin63 said:

Padel has obviously grown along with the demise of squash.I played squash until I was around 75,along with mates of the same age.I think its really sad the sport is almost extinct ,at one stage 30-40 years ago,there where loads of clubs but you still struggled to get a decent court time.It was to me and most who played it at a decent level,the hardest game physically and mentally(contact sports aside),and this alone would now put people off.I have never tried padel,and am probably to old now,but I doubt it would give me the same buzz or satisfaction as I had after a completed game of squash.How I miss those post match drinks feeling totally whacked and virtually at a standstill,and then spend ages trying to book my next treadmill of torture.

It's a very difficult game to squash - slower and not nearly as knackering but I think you could still get the same buzz from a perfectly executed shot. One of my mates brought his 82 year old dad to our game a few weeks ago and he managed OK

thickandthin63 · July 30

Jints said:

thickandthin63 said:

Padel has obviously grown along with the demise of squash.I played squash until I was around 75,along with mates of the same age.I think its really sad the sport is almost extinct ,at one stage 30-40 years ago,there where loads of clubs but you still struggled to get a decent court time.It was to me and most who played it at a decent level,the hardest game physically and mentally(contact sports aside),and this alone would now put people off.I have never tried padel,and am probably to old now,but I doubt it would give me the same buzz or satisfaction as I had after a completed game of squash.How I miss those post match drinks feeling totally whacked and virtually at a standstill,and then spend ages trying to book my next treadmill of torture.

It's a very difficult game to squash - slower and not nearly as knackering but I think you could still get the same buzz from a perfectly executed shot. One of my mates brought his 82 year old dad to our game a few weeks ago and he managed OK

Gives me hope ,I am 82 ,might give it a go.

bolloxbolder · July 30

As a club tennis player and former Club Chairman, I would say that tennis clubs are not elitist and anyone can join and play for under £200 a year at my club, Bexleyheath tennis club. Half that price if over 65 or under 21.

We have social sessions every day now and believe me, people of all standards play. That's not for me as I have always had a competitive streak in me, but the point is there is something for everybody now at your local tennis club, whatever age or standard.

Speaking purely personally, I detest how Padel has impacted on tennis play.I hope it's a fad and goes away in a few years. I have players I captain, pulling out of matches to play Padel, some have quite quickly become Kent representative standard.

Very disappointing that the LTA are funding the growth of Padel. It is not tennis and therefore shouldn't be funded at the expense of tennis. Two entirely different sports.

Carter · July 30

Thats interesting but not entirely surprising to read, in fairness it reflects my view of the 100 in cricket and to a lesser degree the IPL

I can only speak for myself, the tennis clubs local to me, as a former squash player which was also a sport I thought could be a bit excusionary. Whilst not questioning what you are saying and speaking as I found. The tennis clubs in Medway were/are pretty stuffy.

Tennis is also something that you build up gradually a skill playing and need to stick at it. Padel, man you can pick that up with a small amount of hand-eye coordination. Tennis, serving is a skill in itself, playing on the different surfaces. None of this is anti-tennis, just as I found. Cricket is the same, maybe less so now with community projects, cage cricket for example being more prevalent but places to actually play are dwindling. And participation rates for all key sports are plummeting. Our 5 a side league before covid had about 9 leagues of 8 or the other way round. Now its 3

Cricket leagues are shrinking and being consolidated, squash clubs and courts are vanishing, 11 a side football is alarmingly low on participation at adult level, does coincide with loads of pubs closing that.

I do appreciate your concerns as a purist though

Jints · July 30

bolloxbolder said:

As a club tennis player and former Club Chairman, I would say that tennis clubs are not elitist and anyone can join and play for under £200 a year at my club, Bexleyheath tennis club. Half that price if over 65 or under 21.

We have social sessions every day now and believe me, people of all standards play. That's not for me as I have always had a competitive streak in me, but the point is there is something for everybody now at your local tennis club, whatever age or standard.

Speaking purely personally, I detest how Padel has impacted on tennis play.I hope it's a fad and goes away in a few years. I have players I captain, pulling out of matches to play Padel, some have quite quickly become Kent representative standard.

Very disappointing that the LTA are funding the growth of Padel. It is not tennis and therefore shouldn't be funded at the expense of tennis. Two entirely different sports.

There are three clubs near me in Duwich. Two have very long waiting lists (5 years plus), a third is only accepting applications for off peak so obviously it's different where you are in London.

Not sure what anyone can do if people prefer playing padel to tennis.

redlanered · July 30

Starting point in my area (Surrey/London borders) was a tennis club that used to require you "play in" (i.e. prove you were good enough). Sure, that has changed but it was indicative of what many tennis.clubs were like. Plus lots of long-term.members had their established games - so even though I have many friends there I could never break into their tennis circle.

With padel everyone started more or less the same time. So no cliques of "regulars" (though that's changing a bit) and much more tolerance around etiquette etc.

Kap10 · July 30

Pedro45 said:

Lots of courts now at Bexley and Bromley Cricket clubs.

If my move to Bexley ever happens it's something I'll look at, although new activities at 70ish may be pushing it abit.

Addick Addict · July 30

Kap10 said:

Pedro45 said:

Lots of courts now at Bexley and Bromley Cricket clubs.

If my move to Bexley ever happens it's something I'll look at, although new activities at 70ish may be pushing it abit.

The tennis courts at Bexley CC used to only be utilised once in a blue moon. Bexley CC came to an arrangement with Bexley Tennis Club (who are located elsewhere) whereby they would turn them all into padel courts and form a jointly owned Padel Club. From what I understand, the courts are fully booked from sunrise to sunset, so much so that they have had to restrict membership. So from zero money being made the two clubs have turned a non-event of an area into a very profitable venture.

Whether this will be a fad for a decade or so remains to be seen but the fact is that there a lot of people, especially elderly ones who might not be able to cover the demands of a tennis court and faster moving ball, who are now partaking in sport when they otherwise were not doing so.

fattmatt · July 31

Padel courts are the bane of my life.

I work for a Local Planning Authority in Surrey, and the wealthy brigade keep trying to build padel courts in their gardens which are in the Green Belt, AGLV, AONB.

We refuse for harm to residential amenity due to disturbance to neighbours from the ball strikes and vocalisations, and I then get the huge honour of fighting the inevitable appeals.

jimmymelrose · August 1

Macronate said:

First and only time I've it played it was on Gili Trawangan - loved it.

I win.

A padel court on Gili Trawangen, my god. I heard the island now has a bitumen road. I can imagine how the place has been ruined. Shame.

jimmymelrose · August 1

Back on subject: the only problem I have with pádel is getting four people together to play it. I find it hard sometimes to get someone at the club available for singles tennis.

Our club renovated two old unused courts for pádel but I think it would be sad to change current tennis courts to pádel.

The problem with tennis is that it takes a long time to pick up. It ideally needs to be taught at school in Sports lessons. Everything is far easier to learn when you're a child.

Padel

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